Kono Down
by ElizabethWriter
Summary: Kono collapses during a chase. What's wrong? McKono.
1. Chapter 1

She awoke to the sound of her alarm and sluggishly rolled out of bed. She felt nauseous as she stood up. Once in the bathroom, she took the cold tap water that flowed from the faucet and splashed it onto her face. She was relieved when the sick feeling retreated. Once she had gotten ready, she hopped in her car, only to be revisited by the nausea. During the drive to work, it came and went in small waves: nothing she couldn't handle.

"Hello, Kono!" Steve greeted as she entered the station, the rhyming words pleasing his five-year-old mind. Danny and Chin nodded a salutation to her as well.

"Hello," She replied a bit weaker than she meant to. Steve, Chin and Danny paused for a moment, looking at her. Danny's facial expression became a bit paternal as he voiced his concern:

"You doing okay?" he asked. "You seem tired."

"Yeah, I just wasn't feeling well this morning," she replied honestly, placing her bag down at her desk.

"Well, you can go home and rest…" Steve trailed off.

"No, no. I'm okay now I think," She reassured them confidently.

"Alright, well, tell us if you need anything," Chin said.

"Thanks guys," She replied with a grateful smile as she took her seat.

For the rest of the morning, the nausea continued in its pattern of ebbing and flowing. It certainly wasn't unbearable and Kono had made a productive start on her paperwork.

Across the room, Steve hung up the phone.

"Guys," He called out, "We got a case, let's move." His three colleagues all packed up and headed out to the parking lot. Danny caught Kono by the arm as she tried to pass through the door.

"You good?" He asked simply.

"Yep," Kono replied with a small smile. Danny softly patted her on the back and she continued out of the building.

The team arrived on the scene of a suspected robbery in progress at a jewelry store. They entered the building, guns drawn and sweeping with a squad of HPD trailing behind. The storefront was empty and littered with the glass of shattered display cases. Danny kicked open the door to the back room to reveal the three robbers, adorned with black masks.

"On the ground!" He commanded as Steve and Chin arrived behind him, followed by Kono. Two of the criminals dropped to their knees, but the third made a break for the backdoor.

Kono silently thought to herself, _ugh, I'm so not in the mood for this_, as she darted through the side door to chase down the runner. Danny held the remaining two robbers at gunpoint while Steve and Chin cuffed them and handed them off to the HPD officers. They quickly exited the back of the store and saw Kono and the suspect just down the road. All three officers took off to assist her.

Kono could hear the sound of blood rushing through her ears as her feet pounded against the pavement. She fought back the rising nausea as a pain in her stomach vied for her attention. Her muscles felt weak and dizziness came over her. She was relieved to see she had chased the suspect into a dead-end alley because she wasn't sure if she could go any farther.

The suspect whipped around when he realized he was cornered. Kono had him trapped and he tried to make a move on her before she could unholster her weapon. Kono, even in her weakened state, easily blocked the man's punch and applied a quick knee into his stomach. She gave one kick to the side of his head as he buckled and that was all it took. He fell limply in front of her.

Kono could her 3 pairs of feet approaching behind her. She began to turn towards them. Now out of the life-threatening situation, her body decided to make her aware of its suffering. Her vision clouded as her stomach screamed. She stumbled back as her balance faded.

"Kono!" Steve called out to her. The team all picked up their speed as they saw her weaken. She tried to stay upright but found herself doubling over in an attempt to quiet the pain in her stomach.

"Ste-" she managed with a gag. Steve arrived to grab her shoulders. He bent his knees to get into her line of sight. He had to look her in the eye—to tell her he was there for her.

"Kono?" Steve repeated. Kono's gaze met his dusty blue eyes.

"Help m-" Kono tried to reply as she slipped toward the ground.

"Okay-" Steve said as he quickly took on her weight to help lower her onto the pavement. She attempted to speak.

"My- OWWW," She cried as Steve laid her down on her side, still curled in a ball. Chin arrived next to them.

"Shhh, you're alright honey," Steve reassured her quickly.

Aside, Danny radioed in urgently, "Officer down, send EMS, West and York Street,"

Kono took a much-needed breath once settled in an attempt to calm herself. Chin rubbed circles on her back.

"Kono, what's wrong? What hurts?" Steve asked, kneeling in front of her, with a firm but worried voice.

"My stomach," She replied with a whimper

"Did he hurt you?" Chin asked in reference to the criminal that Danny was now cuffing.

"No, it just started to- Auhhh" She gasped.

"Okay, okay, we have paramedics on the way, Kono," Steve soothed.

"'urts," Kono yelped. Steve gently pushed the hair from her face.

"I know, I know, just hang tight, okay?" Steve comforted, rubbing her arm.


	2. Chapter 2

He wasn't used to seeing her like this. She was so vulnerable lying there on the pavement, all curled up like that. He wanted to take her pain away. Instead, he put his hand her shoulder and she reached out to him, grasping his bicep intensely.

HPD officers arrived to drag away the final perp. Danny came over and knelt down at Kono's feet, placing a hand on her knee.

"Why'd you tell me your were okay, Kono?" He asked her sweetly with a tone of regret in his voice. He used the same voice when he talked to Grace.

"I was. I don't know w-what happn'd," She replied, squeezing her eyes shut.

"It's okay, we got you now," Steve reassured her.

Her eyes flicked open. She tightened her grip on Steve's arm. Something was happening inside her.

"'eve," she gasped. She began to shift and rustle on the ground. Was she trying to sit up? What was wrong now? A new wave of panic and worry washed over him.

"Kono?! " He said with wide eyes, searching her face for clues of what was going on.

"I'm gonna—" She stopped to heave and Steve immediately caught on. He quickly reached under her arms and sat her up just enough for her lean over. He supported her, her arms outstretched on top of his, her palms braced against his shoulders. He held her in place as she threw up a little on the cement between them. She shrieked as pain wracked her body. Her elbows gave out and she began to fall towards Steve, her eyes threatening to close.

Steve slipped an arm under her knees and lifted her over the vomit and into his lap, shifting from his kneeling position to his butt.

"Okay, Kono. You're okay, shhh," He soothed.

She collapsed into his chest and Steve's heart nearly broke when he felt how badly she was shaking. An ambulance rounded the corner and sped over.

"The paramedics are here, Kono, I'm gonna pick you up, okay?" Steve warned, aware it would probably hurt to move her. He adjusted her in his arms and made his way to his feet. She winced and held back a whimper. Steve made his way hastily over to the back of the ambulance. Chin ran ahead and opened the doors for him.

A paramedic stood in the doorway and assisted Steve into the ambulance. Steve bent over and softly laid Kono down on the stretcher on her side so she could remain in her comfortable, balled up, position. He left a hand on her back, not wanting to completely let go of her. Danny and Chin stood outside. Steve caught Chin looking at him, completely still—he looked like he had something to say.

"Steve," he called, "Take care of her," said Chin earnestly. Steve nodded at him and with that, Chin and Danny closed the doors. As the ambulance began to roll, he filled in the paramedic in front of him:

"This is detective Kono Kalakaua, she wasn't feeling well earlier this morning but just now had sudden onset severe abdominal pain. She's tachycardic and vomited once."

The paramedic nodded at him confidently and shifted down to Kono's level. "Detective Kalakaua, can you hear me?" He asked, looking in her eyes with a penlight. She nodded in response.

"Hi detective, my name is Zeke and I'm a paramedic," He said slowly and clearly, slipping an oxygen mask onto her face. "I see it's your stomach that's causing you all this pain, yeah? Are you having pain anywhere else?" Zeke asked sweetly.

"No," She replied quickly.

"Have you had any trauma recently? Fall, accident, anything like that?"

"Mnm" She shook her head no.

"Alright, I'm going to pull up your shirt and take a look at your stomach. Do you think you can lie on your back for me?" He asked. She began to roll off her side and Steve assisted her. She clung to his arm.

Zeke pulled her shirt up and began palpating her stomach. As released the pressure of his touch in her lower abdomen, Kono writhed on the stretcher.

"Aaaach," the air forced out of her lungs produced a pained cry. Zeke immediately withdrew his hands.

"Detective, I'm concerned about the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy. Is there any chance you're pregnant?" Zeke asked while glancing up at Steve, as if he would know. Steve suddenly realized that he didn't look like Kono's partner at the moment… He looked like her boyfriend. He ignored the thought and looked down at Kono.

"No," she shook her head, "I can't be," she said unquestionably.

Zeke and Steve weren't sure exactly what she meant by this. All that mattered at that point though was that Zeke could explore the other diagnostic possibilities.

"In that case, I think my next concern is your appendix. Can you try something for me real quick?" He asked. She nodded and he placed a strong hand on her thigh.

"Try and lift your leg up for me," He directed, applying some downward force on her thigh as she lifted. This, in turn, led to another strangled cry from poor Kono.

"So far, you are showing all the symptoms of appendicitis. I want to start a line and give you some pain relief, okay?" Zeke said as he went to work preparing an IV.

"Okay," She responded quietly not looking at Zeke, but at Steve.

Steve watched as with each exhale, the mask on her face clouded with her breath and with each inhale the cloud faded away. He was comforted by the constant reassurance that she was breathing—that she was alive and okay. He took her trembling hand and leaned in next to her ear.

"Just a little while longer, Kono. You're alright," He whispered, rubbing circles on her hand with his thumb. She softened at his smooth voice.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Finally, an update! I think this is the final chapter.**

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Steve put the chair as close as possible to the hospital bed. His elbows rested on his knees and his chin in his hands. He nervously bit his cheek, watching her as she slept. A nurse looked up from the monitor and saw the look in his eyes.

"She'll be waking up soon, sir. The anesthesia should be wearing off now," She said with a gentle smile.

"Thank you," He said with a nod and with that, she left the room. Sure enough, Kono began to float back to consciousness just moments later. She shifted on the bed minutely and her eyes peeled themselves open. He sat forward and pushed the call button before placing a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes opened and wandered around the room.

"Hey Kono," He asked gently. She glanced at him but continued to scan the room. Her breath hitched as panic flooded her eyes, feeling a bit too disoriented for comfort. Steve read her like a book.

"Kono, hey, it's Steve. You're alright," He said stroking her arm softly. She turned her head to look at him again and recognition slowly came over her.

"'Eve," she croaked with a smirk, dropping her hand palm up on the bed for him to take. Steve was sure it was just the drugs that had her loopy enough to hold his hand, but he still felt a small flicker of excitement. He happily obliged, sliding his hand down her arm to meet it.

"Hi sweetheart," he smiled at her, "You're in the hospital. Your appendix burst and they had to operate, but the doctor says you'll be good to go in no time. Danny and Chin are on their way over now."

"Okay," She responded simply. A doctor entered the room.

"Hello detectives," She said brightly, "Kono, I'm Dr. Inura. Your surgery went very well and we were able to repair all of the damage. You should be completely healed in about three weeks,"

Kono nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you," She said. Dr. Inura moved Kono's gown aside to examine the small incision sites on her stomach.

"How is you pain right now?" She inquired.

"Fine. A little sore, but fine," Kono answered with a shrug.

_Typical Kono_, Steve thought to himself, _tough as nails._

"Good. If anything changes or you have any questions, just use your call button," the doctor replied warmly as she moved Kono's gown back over her abdomen. "Oh, and I believe you have a couple of visitors. Would you like me to send them in?" Dr. Inura asked

Kono nodded with a smile.

Moments later, Chin and Danno walked through the door.

"Hey! Sorry we're late to the party," Danny said with his usual charm. Kono chuckled, even though it hurt a little bit.

"Thanks for coming guys," Kono said.

"How are you feeling, cuz?" Chin asked.

"Okay. Doing well," she responded with a cautiously optimistic nod.

They talked about the case a little bit and caught Kono up to speed. Having three of the funniest men in the world come to visit you while you're recovering from abdominal surgery is not the best of ideas—It hurt so much to laugh. As it neared 8pm, Danny and Chin excused themselves.

"I have to go put Grace to bed. Maybe she could visit you tomorrow? She wouldn't stop asking me before I left," Danny said.

"I'd love to see her," Kono responded.

"We'll all be back tomorrow to see you anyway. Besides, you need someone here to supply you with jello cups." Chin said with a grin. He and Danny gave her a hug goodbye and well wishes.

The door closed behind them and Steve and Kono were left in the peaceful room.

"You can go home Steve. I'm just going to sleep anyway," Kono said, giving Steve an obvious out. She desperately wanted him to stay, but she would never tell him that. She readjusted herself to lie on her side facing him, propping herself up on an elbow.

"I'm too tired to drive home," Steve countered cooly while seating himself by her knees on the edge of her bed. Kono saw through the excuse. SEALs were never tired. Now that he was seated right next to her, she caught herself a bit lost in his eyes, but quickly snapped out of it.

"Thanks for… coming with me," She said hesitantly, feeling like there might be a little tension in the room. The atmosphere almost seemed romantic, but she didn't want to read into too much.

"Of course, Kono," he said sincerely.

The way he used her name created a butterfly in her stomach.

"You know, you didn't have to detonate an internal organ to spend time with me. You could have just asked," he teased, maybe flirting a bit. Even he wasn't sure.

"Anything for you Steven," she said smoothly with a chuckle attached. She was about 49% joking. Steve paused for a moment, formulating his question for her.

"Do you remember any of it?" Steve asked curiously, silently wondering if she recalled being held in his arms.

"Uh, yeah, a little bit," she replied, trying to remain nonchalant.

"Like what?" he prodded quietly.

"Well, uh, I remember chasing the suspect… taking him down…" she said, stopping to bite her cheek. "And, I, uh, remember you," she said transparently. The tone of her voice and the look in her eyes as she said it was unmistakable.

Steve gave an embarrassed sort of smile. Kono swore that he could have passed as a sixth grader at that moment. She looked at him with soft eyes, hoping that maybe she would communicate that he wasn't off target. She gently opened her mouth to speak, but after inhaling, shut it again to think some more. She wasn't thinking about herself or about him. She was thinking about _them_—together.

She looked down at her hands and nibbled at her cheek again. She could feel his gaze heating her cheeks. She finally looked back at him. His face was pensive.

"I was so worried about you, Kono," he shook his head softly as he brushed hair from her eyes. His hand stopped its arching motion on her cheek. Their eyes were locked and neither of them could look away. The small amount of distance between them was begging to be closed.

Steve leaned towards her, still returning her steady gaze. It was like they were afraid to look away—like they might disappear if they did. He placed his free hand beside her head. His face hovered centimeters away for a moment. She closed her eyes. He did the same and then placed a quick kiss on her lips. He withdrew back to his hovering position and they both opened their eyes once more.

When they looked at each other, they had found something. Maybe it was a missing puzzle piece, or a connection, or love—but whatever it was, it was _real_. Whatever it was, it had been suddenly called to life in the most beautiful way. They closed their eyes no longer afraid of losing each other.

Their lips met for a second time, this time refusing to part. Kono wrapped a hand around his hip and pulled him closer, urging him to lay down next her. Without breaking their kiss, he placed himself on the bed.

They looked at each other again, laying on their sides and sharing the same pillow. Kono did her smile, the one that starts in her eyes and pulls her closed lips into a tight grin. Steve nearly melted at that. He pushed his lips against hers. Their mouths moved in perfect harmony. They weren't sure if time was moving quickly or slowly, or if maybe it had stopped all together. Ten, Twenty minutes… They didn't know.

As they finally broke apart, Kono returned to lying on her back and snuggled into Steve, placing her head on his chest. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

"Goodnight Kono."

"Goodnight Steve."

Steve took a breath in and decided to go out on a limb:

"I love you, Kono."

Steve could feel her smiling on his chest.

"I love you too, Steve."

**A/N: I hope you liked it! Please review and tell me what you think! If you have any ideas or prompts for me, I'd love to hear those as well :)**


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